


odds and ends

by oldeguard (anthonydarling)



Category: The Old Guard (2020)
Genre: Canon-Typical Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Language Barrier, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Relationship, they're so dumb!!!! oh my god!!!!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27564064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anthonydarling/pseuds/oldeguard
Summary: Short The Old Guard fics from oldeguard on tumblr :)
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Kudos: 14





	odds and ends

Nicoló came back to life with a low groan. He tried to keep his breathing steady as his ribs and spine snapped back into place and as the skin on his left leg knit itself back together- he'd died in many unpleasant ways, now, but he especially hated falling.

He heard Yusuf shouting in the distance and above him. There was the sound of metal clashing with metal, scuffling and rocks falling, a scream that wasn't Yusuf's that was getting very close, very fast, and then there was a cracking thump to Nicoló's right. He didn't bother to look at the poor, very dead, bastard that was one-fourth of the group of robbers that had tried and lost their luck today.

He wondered how long it was going to take for Yusuf to finish the fight. His femur cracked together before he could fully finish the thought, and he screamed. His left hand reached out for- for what? and he grabbed a handful of blood-wet sand. That hadn't been what he was looking for. He didn't think about what he'd been looking for.

When he came back to himself, panting, he realized that all sounds of fighting had stopped. He arched his back and groaned at the stretch- healed bones and ligaments were always very stiff. Yusuf didn't seem to have this issue, and Nicoló was determined to be angry at him for it.

There was the sound of footsteps above him. A spray of rocks and dirt fell over him.

"You did that on purpose," Nicoló snapped. Yusuf said something, sounding unconcerned, and then a shadow fell over Nicoló's face. He glared up at Yusuf.

"Astayqiz," he said, and Nicoló knew what he meant- get up- but he glared at him and didn't move. He didn't feel like it. He was comfortable here, as long as Yusuf stayed where he was, shielding him from the sun. Yusuf put a hand on one hip and grinned, said something that Nicoló didn't catch. He rolled his eyes and extended a hand, opened and closed it, then gestured up to the sun and down to the horizon. _Get up. We don't have all day._

Nicoló copied his gesture to the sun and horizon, then to the clearing they were in (the bottom of a ravine, well-protected), then to the body to his right, and finally to his hip, where, on a better day, he would be carrying money. _We can loot these robbers and stay the night here._

Yusuf made an unhappy sound. Nicoló scoffed. Yusuf sat down beside him, still shielding him from the almost-setting sun, and touched his own forehead. Raised a sardonic eyebrow. _You don't feel well._

Nicoló didn't respond. Yusuf got to his feet and started to search the body, mumbling under his breath. Nicoló tried to listen- he caught some words, _food_ and _water_ and _lazy fucking Frank,_ and then a cloth-wrapped parcel whapped him in the face.

"Fuck you," Nicoló said halfheartedly, Yusuf knew that one, but he got no response. He unwrapped the parcel. It was bread. Only what looked to be a third of it had been torn off.

He looked over to Yusuf. He was walking away, glaring up at the semi-cliff face that Nicoló had fallen down and he had managed to walk down somehow, like a damn mountain goat, and holding a piece of bread that was barely going to give him strength for climbing half of it.

Resentfully, Nicoló tore off a section of the bread and set it aside for him.


End file.
